Mike Gesicki – August 31, 2020
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Monday, August 31, 2020
TE Mike Gesicki
(I was wondering – you and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick became tight last year. I was wondering how you reacted when you heard the news and what support you provided him?) – “Yeah, obviously it’s a really tough time for him and his family. I really felt for him and his family, and his kids. I’ve met all of them before; but knowing him, a big family guy, he’s handled it really well. He’s been there for his kids, for his wife, for his dad and his brothers and all of that. Obviously, (I send) all of my condolences and wish the best for him and his family moving forward.”
(I wanted to have an unrelated question about the tight end room. Last year it was basically you and TE Durham Smythe. You’ve got TE Adam Shaheen in there now. Do you think that might affect the rotation and could you perhaps see your snaps go down this year because of the added depth?) – “I think there is a ton of competition in our room, so I think that’s going to bring out the best in everybody. Getting Adam in there and Chris (Myarick) has done a great job this camp as well. Chandler (Cox) is in our room too, and he’s done a very good job. Then you have Nate (Wieting), who we signed at the beginning of training camp. A ton of talent, everybody is making plays whether it’s the run game, pass game, or pass pro. For me, I love it. I think it’s exciting and I think it’s something we can continue to build on.”
(One of the big challenges obviously for defensive players around the league is finding players capable of covering skilled pass-catching tight ends like yourself, whether it be a linebacker or a safety. What do you think could make S Eric Rowe effective in that role? We saw him obviously handle it late last season. Who besides Eric has been on you this camp in coverage?) – “Eric has done a great job this entire training camp. He’s done a good job playing physical, using his hands. I think that’s helped me as well moving forward, just being aware of different moves at the line of scrimmage that I have to be aware of, being ready to use my hands, getting off press coverage. I think that entire room, the safeties have done a good job on the tight ends. That’s been a competition that has been day in and day out. Sometimes they get the best of us and sometimes we get the best of them. It’s been fun.”
(TE Durham Smythe said that you guys got together this offseason to work on things to strengthen each other’s weaknesses. What was that experience like and what do you feel like you learned from him technique wise?) – “I always joke around with Durham. I’ll call him an extended tackle and all of that kind of stuff. I’ll joke around with him; but honestly he’s done a really good job this training camp of making a ton of plays in the pass game. Then obviously the other way around. He’ll joke around with me, telling me I should be in the receiver room and all of that kind of stuff. Me and Durham are best friends. We have a really good relationship. We’ll joke around with each other. I’ve kind of watched him and his footwork when it comes to run blocking, and his technique and his hands. I’m still trying to put it together in that aspect. He’ll talk to me just about routes and releases, some things that I kind of got better with last year when (Tight Ends Coach) George (Godsey) came in and helped me out with that. I think we’re just kind of building off of each other and like I said, there is a lot of talent in our tight ends room that we’re going to continue to try to build around.”
(Often times you’ll hear people talk about the challenges of a tight end coming into the league the first couple of years because you have to worry about run blocking, pass protection, running routes, you have to know all of the assignments on the offense. How do you feel you are doing in that area now coming into Year 3? Do you feel like there’s another level of comfort you’ve kind of stepped into this year?) – “Yeah, I feel good. I’m excited to just continue to develop, to continue to get better and more comfortable day in and day out. It also is good playing with the same receivers outside, the same quarterback back there, all of that kind of stuff. I think from that aspect, it’s been good as well – just that chemistry and that continuity. I think sometimes when I’m running a route, ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) kind of knows where I’m going to be, or I know what he’s thinking pre-snap. Just that chemistry, just that comfort level, I think it’s going to continue to grow.”
(This came so fast. I was surprised that I had to flip the calendar to September tomorrow, and that the first game is only 13 days away. How do you feel hearing that – that the first game is only 13 days away? How much time is left and what do you guys still need to get down before then?) – “It’s obviously exciting, just to know that it’s that close. At the same time, if you guys know ‘Coach Flo’ (Brian Flores), he isn’t letting us look too far ahead. (We) just kind of focus on the task at hand, focus on the day’s practice. We’ll come in here, watch the film, get better and improve. Right now, we’ll just continue to focus on the Miami Dolphins and helping each and every one of us get better day in and day out until we put our mind and game plan together and all of that kind of stuff into that next phase. Like you said, it is very exciting.”
(QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has been in the league for close to two decades. He’s seen a lot. Has there been anything different you’ve seen about him this year than maybe last year?) – “I feel like at this point, you kind of know exactly what you’re going to get. Like you said, he’s seen it all. He knows what’s going to happen before it happens. Today we ran a play in practice and I came in motion across him, and I just asked him, ‘hey man, what do you think the coverage?’ He just told me what the coverage is right away and I knew exactly how to run my route and caught the ball down the field. Just those kind of little bits and pieces of playing with him and being able to pick his brain, whether it’s in the meeting room or whether it’s three seconds before the ball is about to get snapped. It’s just going to help you continue to grow and develop, help you make plays and I think you’ve seen that time and time again with ‘Fitz’ out there.”
